Coffee bean quality evaluation under three drying conditions: static, concrete terrace, and suspended terrace drying

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of different drying structures on the moisture, chemical, and sensory quality of coffee beans. The experiment was carried out with a static dryer, concrete drying, and suspended drying terrace in the years of 2021 and 2022. The research consisted of six treatments and four replicates. The drying of coffee beans was completed when the total moisture reached 11.5%. The moisture, electrical conductivity, and sensory analysis were evaluated. The data were analyzed non-parametrically and through principal component analysis. It was found that the highest moisture was present in the upper layer of the static dryer. The homogenization of the moisture of the coffee bean samples is due to the phenomena of water adsorption and desorption. The longer storage time contributes to the hygroscopic balance of the coffee samples. The conclusion is that different drying structures and distinct layers of the static dryer influenced the moisture of the coffee beans and the longer storage time of the coffee beans in the storage contributed to the uniformity of moisture in the static dryer samples. The treatments with lower moisture were more associated with the best sensory analysis.